Wildlife

Species profiles, behaviour notes, and conservation stories from the wild. Written by field-grade writers and reviewed by biologists.

295 stories in Wildlife · Page 9 of 25

Red fox moving through a misty wetland at dawn

A long-legged centipede with a striped body and trailing antennae crawls across a damp, mossy log

Wildlife

Are Centipedes Poisonous? Discover the Truth About These Creepy Crawlers

All centipedes are venomous but not poisonous. Their venom isn't lethal to humans; bites are painful but comparable to bee stings.

A brown hairy spider with banded legs crouched among dry fallen leaves and bright green moss

Wildlife

How Long Do Spiders Live? Unraveling the Mystery of Spider Lifespans

Spider lifespans range from under a year to nearly twenty years, with males living shorter lives than females due to mating-related deaths.

A tangled cluster of red, black and cream striped garter snakes coiled together on a gray rock among grass

Wildlife

How Do Snakes Mate? An Exploration of Their Unique Reproductive Methods

Snakes mate via mating balls or one-on-one; 70 percent lay eggs while 30 percent give live birth, some without needing a male.

Wildlife

How Strong is a Gorilla? Discover the Astounding Power of Our Primate Cousins

Gorillas can lift 10 times their body weight with 4 times stronger muscle mass and 3 times thicker bones.

A black bear curled up asleep inside a den beneath a tree root, with snow covering the ground around it

Wildlife

13 Fascinating Animals That Hibernate: Nature’s Masters

13 hibernating animals enter torpor, reducing metabolism 95 percent and heart rate from 300 to 6 bpm to survive harsh winters on stored energy.

A slender gray shark with visible gill slits swimming above a kelp-covered rocky seafloor in clear blue water

Wildlife

Are Sharks Mammals or Fish? Debunking the Misconception

Sharks are fish, not mammals; they breathe via gills, have cartilage skeletons, and lack mammary glands despite some giving live birth.

An African elephant walks beside a small calf at a waterhole, with antelope grazing on the dry plain behind

Wildlife

How Long Do Elephants Live & How Humans Factor In

Asian elephants live around 45 years in the wild while African elephants reach 60 to 70 years, though captive elephants have shorter lifespans.

Green snake with white-speckled coils wrapped around a mossy branch, tongue flicking out against blurred foliage

Wildlife

Slithering Secrets: Do Snakes Really Have Bones?

Snakes are vertebrates with 300+ bones including flexible ribs and unique multi-part skulls enabling them to swallow prey larger than their heads.

Rhino and its calf grazing together on dry golden grass in warm evening light, the adult showing a curved horn

Wildlife

How Many Rhinos Are Left Today? Learn About the Crisis Facing These Majestic Creatures

Only about twenty-six thousand rhinos remain in the world today across five species, threatened by poaching and habitat destruction.

A small brown bat hangs upside down from the underside of a tree limb in a green summer forest

Wildlife

Are Bats Blind? Discover the Fascinating World of Bat Senses

Bats have excellent eyesight and use echolocation to find prey up to 3 miles away, emit sounds up to 140 decibels, and navigate using Earth's magnetic fields.

A reddish-pink flapjack octopus with ear-like fins hovering just above a muddy seafloor

Wildlife

Flapjack Octopus: Meet the Cutest Octopus In the Ocean

Flapjack octopuses inhabit deep ocean floors at 430 to 7,710 feet, reddish-orange in color, and famously inspired the Finding Nemo character Pearl.

A mottled octopus rests on a rocky seafloor with kelp blades drifting behind it and one arm curled at the tip

Wildlife

14 Ocean Animals Uncovered: The Fascinating World Beneath the Waves

Meet 14 fascinating ocean animals, from intelligent octopuses and vital coral reefs to endangered sea turtles and ancient sharks.